Audi Sport Driving Experience 2016 gave petrolheads a chance to hone their driving skills while stirring their emotions.
AUDI Singapore’s largest event of the year saw more than 1200 participants putting various models through their paces over four different driving exercises.
The event also served as the local launch for Audi Sport, a sub-brand comprising performance models from the carmaker’s S, RS and R8 range.
The programme began with breakfast at the Audi Approved Plus showroom along Leng Kee Road. Following a short briefing, we were divided into pairs and allocated either an A4 or A6 saloon, which we drove from there to Changi Exhibition Centre.
En route, we acquainted ourselves with the latest navigation and driving technologies found in the vehicles.
The Audi R8 Track Experience, which marked the flagship coupe’s debut in Singapore, was the highlight of the day.
Each participant in my group drove one of the 610bhp, V10-powered supercars (which were brought in from Germany) through a specially designed circuit.
Apart from being among the first drivers in Singapore to get behind the wheel of the second-generation R8, we were also part of the world’s first “Emotion Dashboard”.
It measured our excitement level during the R8 drive via a wristband, which recorded heart rates and skin moisture levels. These readings were then compared to the ones taken prior to the exercise.
Afterwards, we viewed our Emotion Score and watched the in-car footage recorded during the exercise.
It was interesting to discover that my pulse rate had shot up 89 percent and that my skin moisture level had increased by 506 points.
As for the footage, I found it to be useful feedback in terms of my driving style and racing lines.
During the acceleration exercise, we experienced the dynamic abilities of the S3 Sedan/Sportback, RS3 Sportback and TT Roadster. We were told to floor the throttle pedal before slamming on the brakes later to activate the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
To make this exercise more challenging, we had to brake while steering past an imaginary obstacle designated by cones.
We also took the new A4 on a slalom course designed to showcase the car’s agility and responsiveness.
This portion of the event was quite tricky, as it took place during a thunderstorm!
The day-long programme also let us try out the brand’s Q3, SQ5 and Q7 sports utility vehicles, which we drove through a series of simulated off-road obstacles.
